Brazil to provide semaglutide weight loss drugs via SUS

Brazil's Ministry of Health has established a strict clinical protocol for incorporating semaglutide-based weight loss medications into the Unified Health System (SUS). To prevent purely aesthetic use, the program will prioritize high-risk patients, including those awaiting bariatric surgery, individuals with obesity-related heart disease, and women undergoing post-breast cancer monitoring.

Access to the medication will require continuous medical supervision and prescription. The initiative aligns with World Health Organization recommendations and anticipates the 2026 patent expiration of semaglutide, which has prompted Anvisa to encourage domestic manufacturing. A pilot study, Real-Bari, led by the Grupo Hospitalar Conceição in Porto Alegre, is currently monitoring 250 patients with severe obesity.

Medical experts note that while therapeutic advances are significant, access remains restricted due to high costs, often limiting these treatments to wealthier populations. While the inclusion of these therapies in the public system is a step forward, specialists emphasize that obesity remains a neglected issue in primary care and requires long-term strategies involving education and multidisciplinary care.